Concert by the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra conducted by Byron Stripling, part of the 'From Louis to Aretha' tour.
The Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra is playing From Louis to Aretha at Heinz Hall on Thursday, November 12, 2026. The program is conducted by Byron Stripling, who takes the podium for the evening.
The title gives away the range of the set: it runs from Louis Armstrong to Aretha Franklin, two of the biggest names in American music, and the orchestra handles the arrangements. It's a night that moves through jazz and soul, with the symphony providing the backing for songs that usually live in smaller combos or solo voices. The program is a look at how those styles translate to a full orchestra, with the symphony filling out the sound around the melodies.
Byron Stripling is the one leading the orchestra through it. He's a conductor who works across different genres, and this particular program sits right in that crossover territory, blending the orchestral side of the PSO with the jazz and soul traditions of Armstrong and Franklin. The symphony is the main feature here, so the focus is on the ensemble's take on these songs rather than a single guest soloist.
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It's a Thursday night at Heinz Hall, so it's a mid-week outing in downtown Pittsburgh. The concert is part of the PSO's regular season, and you can find tickets through the symphony's box office.
